Indian student Sahaja Reddy Udumala dies in US house fire, GoFundMe launched

Dubai: A 24-year-old Indian student, Sahaja Reddy Udumala, from Telangana, tragically died following a house fire in Albany, New York, on Thursday, December 4.

Ms Udumala, who moved to the United States in 2021 for higher education, was reportedly asleep when the fire started, preventing her from safely escaping the building.

The Albany Police Department confirmed that officers, along with the Albany Fire Department, responded to the residential blaze on the morning of 4 December. When they arrived, the house was fully engulfed in flames, and emergency personnel were informed that several occupants were still inside.

Firefighters located four adult victims inside the residence. All were treated by emergency medical teams before being transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. Two of them were later transferred to a specialised burn centre for further treatment.

“Tragically, the adult female victim succumbed to her injuries she sustained in the fire,” the police department noted, confirming Ms Udumala's death.

The Consulate General of India in New York shared its condolences in a post on X (formerly Twitter):

“We are deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Ms. Sahaja Reddy Udumala, an Indian national, who lost her life in a house fire incident in Albany. The Consulate is in touch with late Ms. Sahaja’s family and is extending all possible assistance.”

A fundraising campaign has been launched by Ms Udumala's cousin, Rathna Gopu, to assist with funeral, repatriation, and immediate family expenses during what they describe as an 'extremely difficult time.'

The family appealed for support, writing: 'Please keep Sahaja and our family in your thoughts during this difficult time.' The Consulate continues to liaise with the family on the necessary arrangements.